The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume V

84

TEX.AS STATE LIBRARY

seemingly filled with Ice. I must however observe. that those sudden cha[n]ges does not hav any Effect uppon the health of the Inhab- itants. those changes are frequent. but not of Long duration the wind never blows from the North Longer than 48 Hours. and when the Winds ceases to blow from the North the Weather moderats or Turns warm Throughout. all the south western part of Texas. and particu- larly what is called the upper Country. We have a great. quantity of Fine Sand Rock. Vary usefull for Building, Ceder is found in Great abundance on all moast all the Small Streams. in this region. the annimals of Texas are the same that. Inhabit Louisanna, the Fo'ries & Byrds. doo not vary from those found in Louisanna,-the Piraries are Covered with Grass. and •indeed, the timbered upland also-- the appearance. of the Parireas in the spring is truly interesting. cloathed with Grass, and a great variety of flowers interspearced of the moast beautifull colours Wtth regard, to Land, each Family are by the Law. of Colonization entitled to one League of Land a Single man is En- titled to ¾-League a man who wishes to become a Setler and to obtain land. must apply to the Empresario or (Colonizeing agent) of the Country. in which he wishes to locate land. whose duty it is to ad- minister to the Setler. the oath prescribed by Law. and to give to him. a Certificate of his reception as a setler, the Stranger is so soon as he has taken. the oath & Recd his Certifficate. Considered a Citizen and can Locate. upon any Vacant land in the Colony. the price for Land. ( Government) has been thirty. dollars. a League to be paid. in four. five. & Six years from the date of Title. the Surveying fees has been Fortyeight dollars. a League. Two Dollars. for the Certifficate. of Reception which I have before mentioned, Ten Dollars for the Deed and fifteen dollars Commissioner's Fee-the Commissioner is the per- son authorised and appointed, to make Deeds to the setlers theres a Commissioner. for eYery Colony the fees which I hav last mentioned are to be paid. when the services are rendered there is Several Colonys. in Texas. Now open for settlement. which will be finished as the Law of Colonization, provides, &- that is in the Manner. which I hav before mentioned. all the Land titles. given under the administration, of Stephen F Austin is beyound. Doubt. and ne,er Can be questioned; what is Called Mexican grants. are Grants made by the State. to Mex- ican Citizen (Natives) upon their petition. With a privaledge of locate- ing. upon any vacant Lands. those Claims are good when they have been regularly obtained. but there is a great many bad Claims and Consequently. the whole are Involved. in uncertainty. at present theres no Title11 to be obtained. by New Setlers Except. by purchase from the Citizens. for the reason of the disorganization. of the State Govern- ment. but all who are recd. by the agents and make Locations. will hold their land. and will obtain Titles. the Contracts that Exist. Can- not be destroyed or interfearcl with by any Change that may take place in Goverment. the reception of Titles may be procrastinated. but the Contracts that have been made in good faith will be finished agreeably to the provisions of the Law under which they were Consumnteed as to the Goverment (locally) of the Country. the - J uclicial System. is a bad one, and indeed it will not be otherwise. while we hav to depend upon Mexican Legislators their Ideas of Govcrment are so different from ours-the mannl'rs. habits. & Genious of the two people iue so

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